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One of the very common finds from Iron- and Viking age Scandinavia sites are seeds of chenopodium album (fat-hen, lambs quarters, etc.). The seeds have been found mixed into bread and grain paste, in addition to just being in the ground. The inclusion may have been accidental, since fat hen grows as a weed in and around grain fields, or it may have been intentional as an additional source of protein.

Chenopodium album grows around here, and I may see if I can gather some seeds in the late summer. In the mean time, it turns out that a close relative (chenopodiumquinoa) is readily available in the grocery store as quinoa. I’m thinking it might be worth experimenting a bit with adding quinoa to some breads or pottages and see how it turns out.

The “whole foods” site says that the leaves are edible too, like spinach or chard. This recipe for a “salad” (with the seeds, not the leaves) looks interesting – can be made in advanced and served at room temperature – and I might give it a whirl. http://www.wholeliving.com/recipe/parsley-quinoa-salad

I think it might be interesting to try the greens from the quinoa seeds too. I mean, if the seeds are found they might have eaten the rest of the plant. yes? no?

Quinoa is native to South America, while lamb’s quarters et al is native to Eurasia. I do not know if the seeds of the European/Asian chenopodium are also high in saponins like quinoa is, which wuold definitely have an effect on how they would be prepared for edibility…

Quinoa is commonly used by a people currently who need a gluten free diet for health reasons or by choice. I picked some up in the bulk area at the local Winco and brought it along as a rice substitute to have with the Chicken Curry I served at camp this last weekend at AWW.

My lord found it ‘crunchy’ and prefers the cous cous I’ve used during previous camp outs with this dish. The gentle ladies joining us enjoyed it thoroughly. I would be most interested in your bread experiments with this grain.

this makes me very excited for many reasons… I frequently cook gluten/dairy free food for friends with allergies and I just discovered that Quinoa grows well in the Vancouver, BC, Canada environment. It’s one of the foods that I want to start growing just in general but now it can fit in with my “Viking Garden” plans =) The sites that I’ve checked out have also talked about eating the greens, especially when you are thinning the new plants…

Chenopodium alba is one of the first wild edibles I ever ate and, since it grows almost everywhere in the United States, one of the first plants I teach in my wild edibles classes. On my site I have a Medieval plant usage page as well as documentation for Scandinavian plant usage on the Resources page. I will be looking up the publications you have suggested and add them to the resources after I’ve read them over. Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Robin

Hi! very interesting you should tie andean foods to the vikings. In Idaho, one of the former agriculture professors was excited to talk to my father about potatoes. Being from Ecuador, Dad said there were none better, not even Idaho potatoes! The Professor said he may be right, considering that potatoes that went to Idaho came from Iceland and that somehow Iceland potatoes came from the Andes. If so, maybe theories about viking travel are very understated and may have resulted in some form of adaptation not only of potatoes but of the chenopondia family. Just a thought. Cheers!